Removal of a tire which is seated on a rim of a wheel is a difficult task without the use of specialized equipment. Probably the most difficult step in the process is the first step which is “breaking the bead” or unseating the tire from the rim of the wheel.
Commonly, a wheel-mounted tire that needs replacing is brought into a workshop and is placed on a bead-breaking apparatus. Such bead-breaking apparatus would then apply a pressure on one side of the tire to break the tire bead on that side, and then the tire is rotated or flipped over and the process repeated to break the bead on the other side, thus allowing removal of the tire from the wheel.
However, many ranchers, farmers, and outdoor enthusiasts may come across situations where they are in a remote geographic location and require the changing out a tire on a wheel. In such circumstances, and without a workshop with the proper equipment readily or conveniently nearby, portable tire bead-breaking apparatus have been useful.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,267 to Warren discloses a tire bead breaker having an elongate bar with two opposing ends, each opposing end having a pad to engage a sidewall of a tire. A central rod, sufficiently long enough to pass through the elongate bar and through the central portion of a wheel, is threadably adapted to receive a locking plate at one end. In operation, the elongate bar is placed over a tire, the central rod placed through the bar and the wheel, and the locking plate is threadably secured to the central rod. Then an operator can manually turn the central rod to cause the locking plate to travel towards the elongate bar, causing a pressure to be applied to the sidewalls engaging the two opposing pads, and thereby break the bead.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,932,137 to Curtis discloses a tire bead breaker that uses a lever to apply pressure on the sidewalls of a tire to break a tire bead. Curtis' tire bead breaker includes an elongate support having a lever arm at one end. The elongate support is positionable across the diameter of the tire and actuation of the lever arm applies a pressure on the elongate support for breaking the tire bead.
Australian Published Patent Application 1988015187 to Jakens discloses a lever actuated tire bead breaker that is mountable to a trailer hitch on a vehicle.
US Published Patent Serial No. US 2004/0140059 to Wagner teaches a portable tire bead breaker that uses pneumatic power for breaking a tire bead. Wagner's bead breaker has an H-shaped frame having a hinge in the crossing member. An inflatable air bag is positioned within the H-shaped frame at one end, and a tire is positioned at the opposing end of the frame. With the tire in position, the air bag is inflated, causing the opposing end of the H-shaped frame to squeeze the tire therein and break the bead. Wagner's portable tire bead breaker requires a source of pneumatic power to inflate the air bag sufficiently enough to break the tire bead, which may not be readily available in remote locations.